Disclaimer: I do not own Owari no Seraph (Seraph of the End). I write this for your enjoyment only. This is an alternate version of chapter 15 of the manga and episode 12 of the anime in which Mikaela is a girl and Lacus is in love with her. There will be a bit OOCness on Lacus' part because I've decided to make him a bit of a 'nicer' person than he is in the canon story.

The Tragic Swordmaiden

"Detoxification of the curse is complete. Please step out of the detoxification chamber."

Mikaela Hyakuya slowly opened her eyes as the computerized voice finally shook her out of her sleep. Running a hand up her chest between her breasts, the young blonde found that there was no trace of the wound Yuichiro had given her and that it was safe to assume that the wound in her back was gone as well. As soon as the doors to the detoxification chamber slid open, Mika sat up, completely nude, and noticed for the first time that her eyes were misty with tears.

It's so strange, she thought, I haven't cried since becoming a vampire…

Mikaela pondered the thought for a moment before wiping her eyes and reaching back to pull her long blond hair, which had been sticking to her back as she slept, over her shoulder before climbing out of the small glass chamber she had been sleeping in for the last few hours since Ferid had brought her back to Sanguinem after the battle of Shinjuku. The fiery gold mane that her ex-benefactor so admired, had become a great source of annoyance for the young blonde ever since she began her training to become a soldier of the vampire army. As a child, Mika's hair hung to her waist which she once wore with pride but when she started combat training, the blonde often found her long hair becoming a nuisance as well as a potential safety hazard if she did not take the pains to put it up in a tight bun with at least a dozen pins to keep it in place every morning.

If she could, Mika would have worn her hair in a bob like Chess Belle but to her dismay, the blonde quickly discovered that upon becoming a vampire, her hair would not stay short no matter what she did. When Mika questioned Queen Krul about it, her dame explained to her that a vampire's hair would always remain the same length as when they were turned, never growing any longer or, if cut, always growing back to its original length within a few minutes, making it impossible for any long-haired vampire to maintain a shorter haircut.

If Mikaela had any idea she was going to become a vampire, she would have cut her hair herself before being turned. But she knew that was just wishful thinking on her part and that she was simply going to have to live with her three feet of heavy, thick tresses for the rest of her vampire existence.

After climbing out of the chamber, Mika looked around and found that she was alone. The other female vampires who returned with her after the battle of Shinjuku had long finished getting dressed and left, leaving her completely by herself in the dressing room. The blonde wasn't surprised. After all, the injuries she sustained during the battle were more serious than any of theirs so Mika required more time to recuperate. She knew that Lacus and Rene, the two vampire guards Queen Krul had assigned as her partners as well as bodyguards, must have finished getting dressed long ago and were likely waiting for her outside the women's dressing room and it would be impolite to keep them waiting any longer.

Knowing that, Mika quickly put on the new female vampire guard uniform along with a new pair of boots that the maintenance staff had set out for her and bushed her hair quickly before stepping out of the room and into the hallway where she found Lacus alone waiting for her. From the look of things, she might have taken longer than she thought so the purple-haired vampire probably told Rene to go on ahead without them.

Upon seeing the blonde fully rested and healed as well as dressed, Lacus smiled. "It's nice to see you've finally come to. How're you feeling, Mika?"

"I'm fine, thank you" she answered politely. "I'm sorry I took so long; were you waiting here for me the whole time?"

"About an hour or so. Rene had some things he needed to take care of so I told him to go on ahead while I stayed her to wait for you."

Mika frowned. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to trouble you."

Lacus shook his head. "No, it's alright. You seemed to be the one most seriously hurt during the battle so it's understandable you needed more time in the detox chamber to recover. Queen Krul told me to make sure you were completely rested and recovered before escorting you to the royal audience hall; she has some questions for you."

"Questions?"

"About that… creature we saw in Shinjuku. But come, we can talk about it on the way."

As he says this, Lacus offered Mika his arm in a gentlemanly fashion which she took after a moment's hesitation. Her relationship with her guards had always been professional but it was not lost on the blonde that Lacus had looked upon her more fondly than Rene who tended to be more distant even though both of them protected her loyally as per Krul's orders. She had only pretended not to notice that the purple-haired vampire's interest her might have gone beyond duty and obligation but wasn't sure how much longer she could ignore it.

As the pair made their way down the hall and towards the royal audience hall where the queen awaited them, Lacus finally broke the silence that had been lingering between them since they met outside the women's dressing room.

"So, Mika… what do you think that creature was?" he asked curiously.

Startled, Mikaela hesitated for a moment as she tried to think of how she should answer. "I… I don't know…"

Lacus paused for a moment, causing Mika to stop with him before looking into her eyes. "Are you sure, Mika? Because it looked to me that he seems to know you."

Mika looked away and closed her eyes, trying to avoid her bodyguard's questioning gaze. "Please, Lacus, I don't want to talk about it."

"I'm sorry, Mikaela but I'm afraid you have no choice. You may be able to refuse me an answer, but not the queen and you know that. Why do you think she has summoned you to the royal chamber and ordered me to make sure you get there without fail?"

"I know… and I will not refuse anything she asks of me but I truly do not know what the creature we saw in Shinjuku was and I can't tell either of you what I do not know."

"But you know who he was, don't you? He was an acquaintance of yours, wasn't he? Well, whatever he is, he's got the entire vampire army talking about him not to mention the progenitors as well."

"I…"

Before Mika could say anything, she and Lacus heard a voice over the intercom ringing through the hall.

"Mikaela Hyakuya, the third founder Krul Tepes, has summoned you; please report to the royal audience hall immediately."

Upon hearing that, Mika had to fight the urge to let out a sigh of relief. She knew that Krul didn't like to be kept waiting long but this time, she was grateful for her dame's impatience for it gave her an excuse to end this uncomfortable conversation with her purple-haired bodyguard.

Trying to change the subject, Mika started walking again, prompting Lacus to follow. "We must hurry," she said. "It would be rude to keep Her Majesty waiting." Lacus sighed and finally acknowledge defeat- at least for now.

When they finally arrived at the great doors leading to royal chamber where the queen awaited, Mika gently prodded Lacus to release her arm before saying "Queen Krul wishes to speak with me alone; please don't wait here on my account since I've already kept you waiting outside the women's dressing room long enough."

Before her guard could reply, Mika quickly opened the door to Krul's chambers and slipped inside, allowing the heavy doors to close behind her. Lacus knew the blonde hadn't meant to be rude but she was deliberately trying to avoid his questions. After Mikaela had gone inside, Lacus stood outside for a moment as he pondered her words before he heard a familiar voice calling out to him.

"So how did it go?"

Turning, Lacus saw Rene Simm approaching him from the other end of the hall. So preoccupied was he with his thoughts that he didn't even notice the presence of the raven-haired vampire.

"Rene? What are you doing here?"

"Just checking up on you two. Is Mika all right?"

"She's fine. Just took a bit longer to recover than the other ladies because of the extent of her injuries."

"I'm glad to hear that. Well, since Mika is with the queen now, you should be returning to guard duty with me; we still have a few hours before our shift ends. Whatever you have to say to her can wait till then."

Lacus frowned in disappointment but he knew Rene was right. Contrary to what he thought, the elder vampire, who was also his cousin as well as best friend, was well aware of his seemingly unrequited feelings for their princess even though Mikaela herself did not care to be called such.

As he followed Rene out of the palace and back into the city, Lacus suddenly asked, "What do you think that creature was, Rene?"

The elder vampire was silent for a moment before answering.

"I am not sure; I've only heard rumors. But word has been getting around Sanguinem as well the rest of the vampire army that the humans have been experimenting with a forbidden enchantment, one capable of destroying the world, something much worse than the apocalypse which nearly wiped out all the humans eight years ago."

"You mean, the Seraph of the End?"

"Yes."

"But I thought that was only a legend."

"I thought so too. But now I realize there must be some truth to it for the issue has already been raised at the progenitor council."

"Do you think that it was Lord Ferid's intention for us to retrieve that creature in Shinjuku?"

"Quite possibly. But the mission was a failure."

Lacus snorted. "I can never tell what's going on inside that bastard's head; sometimes I think he seems happier when we fail."

Rene let out a chuckle at his cousin's remark, a rarity for him since he almost never even cracked a smile.

"Perhaps. But Lord Ferid isn't what's really on your mind, is he?"

Lacus scowled. It seemed his cousin knew him too well and he was right. The silver-haired noble was of no interest to him. But a certain blonde princess was.

"Hey, Rene?" he began.

"Yes, Lacus?"

"Who is Mikaela Hyakuya, really?"

The sudden question made the elder vampire pause in his tracks for a moment before turning to his cousin. "You've been her bodyguard for almost five years and you only thought to ask that just now?" he asked in astonishment.

"I thought of her as just a livestock child Queen Krul had ordered us to protect as her pet."

"And now?"

Lacus was silent for a moment as he tried to think how he should answer. What he said was true; he used to think of Mika as nothing more than a troublesome little girl and was none too pleased when Krul had placed the unruly twelve-year-old under his and Rene's care but he knew it would be unwise to for either of them to refuse their queen's orders. However, as the years went by, and he watched her grow from a child to a beautiful young woman, his attitude had changed and he was now willing to do anything for Mikaela, anything to keep her safe or make her happy.

"I think Mika is… something special; she must be if Queen Krul has ordered us to protect her with our lives."

Rene nodded. "You may be right. But I'm afraid I cannot tell you anything more about Mikaela Hyakuya than you yourself already know; she is the adopted daughter and favorite swordmaiden of Queen Krul Tepes, an honor we both know she had rightly earned with her skill in the fighting arts."

"Is that all she really is? Where did the queen come by her?"

"I have no idea. But…"

"But?"

"I don't know all the details but I've some people say that Mika had also been the favorite concubine of Lord Ferid Bathory when she was a human and that she had piqued the interest of Queen Krul who turned and adopted her. Why? Nobody knows."

Lacus found his face scrunching in disgust at the revelation since Mika had only been a child when she was turned but what Rene said did make sense since Ferid always made sure to keep the young blonde within his reach. Not only was it very possible that Mikaela had been the seventh progenitor's concubine as a human, but it was also possible that she still is, as a vampire. But even so, Lacus knew that likely wasn't the reason, or at least the only one that made her always keep him at arm's length.

"I see…"

Sensing the younger vampire's disappointment, Rene took pity on his cousin and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Lacus, I understand you think of Mikaela as more than someone you've been ordered to protect and I don't blame you; she is beautiful, intelligent, relentless, and fearless. But you don't know who she really is, where she's been, or if she even feels the same way about you."

"I know…"

"I just don't want to see you get hurt; after all, you're the only family I have left."

To this, Lacus let out a bitter laugh. "Well, I appreciate your concern, cousin, but you need not worry about my feelings; I'm a big boy now."

Rene managed a ghost of a smile before taking his hand back. "I'm glad you understand. Now let's get going; I'd rather not have to explain to Lord Ferid why we were late to guard duty."

"Of course."

SSSSSS

Mikaela Hyakuya smiled as she looked towards the sky from where she stood in the docking area for the vampire planes in Sanguinem, something she had rarely done since she had been turned. The moon was full and countless stars dotted the midnight sky, reminding her of the times she and Yuichiro used to spend their nights stargazing together as children. Despite the hectic events of the day, Mika was happy knowing that the member of her family whom she loved and treasured most still lived. Yuichiro was now a young man; he had grown taller and more handsome than her imagination had painted him in her mind's eye in the four years since they were forced to part at the gates of Sanguinem.

Just you wait, Yuu-chan, I don't know how, but I promise that I'll save you! The young swordmaiden thought before a familiar voice caught her attention.

"Mika?"

Startled, the blonde turned and saw Lacus standing behind her.

"Yes, Lacus?"

"Your guard duty shift has already been over for five minutes now; there's no reason for you to stay here any longer. Shall I escort you to your room now?"

Mika tried to avoid her bodyguard's eyes, knowing that he had not forgotten the conversation they had earlier that day and that he had no plans to drop it until he got the answers he wanted. In that way, Lacus was just as stubborn as herself. Still, she tried to think of an excuse to get him to leave.

"You need not trouble yourself, Lacus. I am perfectly fine going back by myself."

"I'm afraid I must insist, princess. The queen has made it clear she wants me to make sure you get back to your quarters at the palace safe and sound. And to be frank, I do not wish to be held responsible if something happens to you so I hope you understand. And besides, I've been escorting you home for almost five years now and you've never had any objection. Why now?"

Mika flinched slightly at Lacus' formal tone. He knew she hated being called 'princess' and would only use her title when the situation was dire or when he and Rene wanted her to realize they were being serious about something.

Knowing that Lacus wasn't going to let her off this time, Mika finally relented. "Very well, let us go then."

As he did earlier that day and countless times before, Lacus offered Mika his arm and she took it. Ever since she was placed under his and Rene's care, it was routine for Lacus to escort her home after she had finished her schooling, combat training, and later guard duties. Rene would only escort her in his place when Lacus was sent away on missions and never had any issues with taking turns if the purple-haired vampire wanted it but Lacus insisted on escorting Mikaela himself as often as he could.

Normally, she did not have any problems engaging in conversation with her bodyguard and was more than happy to talk to him about almost anything to pass the time until they made it back to her room at the palace. But after everything they had both witnessed today, Mika knew that things will never quite be the same between them and remained silent for the entire twenty-minute walk until they finally reached her room. Slipping her arm from Lacus', Mika tried to avoid looking at him as she reached into her pocket and took out the key to her room. Still, she didn't want to be rude so the blonde thought she should at least thank her bodyguard for his trouble.

"I appreciate what you and Rene have done for me these past four years. I know there must be other things you'd rather do after your shifts than escort me home every night like this."

"It is no trouble," Lacus said gently. "Yes, the queen has ordered it but I also wanted to do it…for you, Mikaela."

Keeping her eye on the door, Mika unlocked it before stepping inside. "Thank you, Lacus. Have a good night."

As she was about the close the door, the blonde was startled when her bodyguard stepped inside her room as well, before closing-and locking the door behind them.

"Lacus? Was there something else?" Mika asked, startled at the sudden intrusion.

"Yes. There are some things I need to talk to you about and I know you've been avoiding me all day…"

"Please Lacus, I told you I don't want to talk about it…"

"I'm sorry, Mikaela, but I must know. What or who was that creature we fought in Shinjuku today? The one who practically wiped the streets with Lord Crowley Eusford? You know him, don't you?"

Knowing that Lacus would not leave until she gave him an answer, Mika nodded.

"I do…"

"Who is he?"

"His name is Yuichiro Hyakuya… my brother."

Lacus raised an eyebrow. "Brother? Now how can that be?" he demanded, "You two look nothing alike!"

Mika shook her head. "No…we are not blood-related. We lived together at the Hyakuya Orphanage until we were taken to Sanguinem by the vampires to be livestock where we lived for four years. Just before I was turned, we tried to escape together with the other orphans but only Yuu-chan was able to get away; Ferid had killed the rest..."

"And that's when Krul had saved and turned you? So is it true what the rumors say? That you were Bathory's favorite concubine?"

"Yes, I was."

"But why?"

"I did for my family because it would have been much harder for us to survive without Lord Ferid's favor and protection, especially Yuu-chan, because he would often get sick from refusing to take the nutrient-replenishing drink as he should have after the blood drawings."

Lacus couldn't believe what he was hearing. That the seemingly innocent blonde before him had prostituted herself to a vampire lord as a child, and not even for herself, but for the sake of the orphans she called her family, especially for the boy who had attacked her when they finally saw each other again for the first time in four years. The purple-haired vampire saw the way Mikaela looked at Yuichiro when Ferid had forcibly taken her from the battlefield and it was not the way a sister would look at her brother.

Mikaela gasped as she felt her bodyguard grab her by the arms in a bruising grip as he gave her a piercing glare.

"So that's it!" Lacus hissed, his voice laced with venomous jealousy. "You turn me away, ignore my every smile, refuse the touch of my hand, for a human!"

The blonde tried not flinch when she heard her bodyguard spat the word 'human' like it was filth. Were it not for Yuu-chan, she might have agreed with him. And unlike so many other vampires, Mikaela herself had not forgotten that she was once human as well.

"I'm sorry, Lacus, but you are wrong!"

"Am I?"

"Yuichiro is innocent; he's not at fault for what happened in Shinjuku! He was just being used! No matter what, he's still my brother and I love him!"

"Brother? You mean the monster who stabbed you in the chest and back!?" Lacus demanded.

"He wasn't himself!"

"He would have killed you had Lord Ferid not been there!"

Mika fell silent as she heard those words. She knew Lacus was right; after all, he had been there and had seen everything. And as much has he hated Ferid Bathory, Lacus still had to acknowledge the fact that Mikaela would not be alive now if it weren't for the silver-haired noble who saved her when he and Rene couldn't get to her in time due to having their hands full fighting off the other human soldiers.

Not knowing what else to say, Mika dropped her head. "I'm sorry, Lacus" she said quietly.

Her bodyguard calmed down as he gently released her. "No, I'm the one who must apologize. I had no right to touch you and was totally out of line. I will accept whatever punishment you and Queen Krul deem fit."

Mika shook her head. "It's ok, I'm not angry and I promise not to tell Queen Krul. I just didn't want you to find out this way but Yuu-chan is the only family I have left and I must save him!"

"Are you sure, princess? Do you not consider me your family as well? I, who have protected you with my life since you were a child? I love you, Mikaela and my feelings for you haven't changed despite what you have confessed!"

"I..." for the first time in her life, Mikaela Hyakuya found herself completely at a loss as to what to say. No one had ever told her they loved her this way, not even Yuichiro for she still believed he saw her only as a sister despite her own feelings for him.

Turning her back to Lacus, Mika removed her belt with her sheathed sword still attached to it and threw it in the corner of her room before going to sit on her bed, her hands in her lap. She wanted to say something but had no idea how to respond her bodyguard after what he had confessed to her. Of course, Mika had known, or at least sensed that Lacus' feelings for her went beyond his duties as her protector and she certainly couldn't tell him to leave now.

Lacus stood and watched Mikaela for a moment before coming over and sitting next to her on the bed. After a moment of silence, he gently took her face by the chin and forced her to look into his ruby-red eyes, the same color her own eyes would be if she had not stubbornly refused to drink human blood and complete her transformation.

"Look at me…" he began sadly "Is your precious Yuu-chan so much more handsome than I?"

Mika took in a sharp breath at her bodyguard's question. How could he ask her such a thing? They both knew Lacus wasn't hard on the eyes at all; even many of the human women and girls living in Sanguinem admitted that his looks were very pleasing.

When he noticed the young blonde hesitating to answer, Lacus continued.

"Yuichiro may be handsome now, but what about in another forty, fifty years? Do you think you'll be happy watching him age by your side knowing you yourself will never be able to age with him? And what if he doesn't love you the way you love him? What then?"

Mikaela wanted to argue but she knew Lacus was right. Yuichiro was a human and she was a vampire. They may look the same age now but it wouldn't be long before he looked old enough to be her father and then, grandfather. Worse still, she would outlive him eventually, there was no denying that. Yuichiro would inevitably grow old but Lacus would continue to stay young and handsome for as long as he lived. Logically, it wouldn't make sense for Mika to choose the human Yuichiro over her eternally youthful vampire bodyguard. At ninety-five years of age, Lacus was considered young for a vampire, even though he was technically old enough to be her great-grandfather; the purple-haired vampire would have been a withered ancient if he was still human but having been turned when he was twenty-three, he will always look like so.

"No human man will ever be able to match you, Lacus Welt. But even so, I have already given my heart away. Please forgive me…"

Upon hearing those words, the purple-haired vampire knew he was defeated. If he truly loved Mikaela, he would allow her to be with whomever made her happy. Even if it would inevitably end in tragedy. But if that was the only way she would learn, so be it.

"I see… if that is how you truly feel, I won't stop you from going to him. But please allow me just one night in your arms, even if you don't love me…"

Mikaela found her heart filled with pity for the vampire who had protected her with his life for the last four years, and out of love, not just duty. She had never meant to hurt him and decided that if she couldn't give him her heart, she would give him her body, if only for a single night. Had Mika still been a virgin, she would have refused because she wanted her first time to be with Yuichiro, but since she was no longer pure, she figured it wouldn't matter if one more man had her who wasn't the boy she truly loved but Lacus would be the last one, Mika swore it.

And so, Mikaela allowed Lacus to undress her and take her to bed, indulging his desire as much as he wanted. No, she did not fight him, resist him but neither did she return his kisses, his caresses. That was something the blonde would only do for Yuichiro Hyakuya whom she had her heart set upon and for whom she was willing to risk it for.

In that, Mikaela Hyakuya was truly a tragic swordmaiden.

A/N: Ok, my first genderbent Mika fic! I've been itching to write a Yuu and female Mika fic for a while and will write one soon but I've also decided I like to have a prequel to that with a Lacus and female Mika fic as well I now I've made Lacus turn out to be a totally different person than he is in the canon story but this is an AU-ish, alternate storyline and I hope my readers will like what I came up with. I greatly appreciate any reviews and suggestions, so long as they are not rude flames lol!